Would an accident at a particle accelerator destroy the solar system?

Answer 1

Our best shot at destroying the solar system would be to create strangelets. It is theorized that quarks can settle to a more stable form of matter than regular matter. So if you made one and it lasted long enough, it might be able to start a chain reaction by reacting with other nuclei in the vicinity to create more strangelets. If a chain reaction got going, it would eat up the earth pretty quickly.

Even if the theory of strangelets is correct, though, they've calculated that it's extraordinarily unlikely that one would find its way into an atomic nucleus and start a chain reaction. The experiment that would create them runs gold ions through the LHC at CERN instead of the usual protons. They've been doing similar stuff at Brookhaven with lead ions and didn't show any signs of nearly destroying the world, so we'll probably be ok.

Answer 2

The scientists who build and commission these things always debate just the question you ask!

Even the first atomic bomb test in New Mexico was debated, as to whether or not a major catastophy would occur. The consensus was that it would not, so they did the test.

Destroy the whole solar system? Even I don't think that would happen. Destroy the earth? That's the level of destruction that 'they' talk about when those debates/discussions happen.

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Answer 3

Short answer: No.

Long answer: Concievably, there is a small chance that a particle accelerator like the one in the article linked below could destroy the planet. Heck, the thing's probably built right now, if not running already.

Answer 4

Destroying the image voltaic gadget could centre on destroying the solar, because of fact the solar is what defines the image voltaic gadget. in spite of if some planets proceed to be (uncertain) they does no longer be a element of the image voltaic gadget, becuase the gadget itself could be long gone. the thank you to wreck the solar? i'm uncertain. there replaced into an episode of Stargate SG-a million (in case you be attentive to the sequence) the place Maj. Samantha Carter planned and accomplished the destruction of a famous man or woman (our solar is a famous man or woman) utilising some thing to blow it up. as quickly as the equilibrium of reactions interior a famous man or woman is disturbed, the famous man or woman could die quickly after.

Answer 5

no, unless the particle went waaaay faster than the speed of light (faster the object, the larger its gravity) across the universe and made a gravitational field large and strong enough to bring the whole solar system to a single point, or bring the planets close enough to the sun.

...just in case you get worried, that's probably not going to happen in you lifetime or your 100 great grandchildren's lifetime

Answer 6

unless a completely unknown branch of physics occurred, probably not.

I recall someone considering an experiment in which light somehow gains mass, and the reaction perpetuates across all other photons resulting in destruction of the entire visible universe...

But hey if it happened, certainly an alien would have done this by now. Hm, I wonder what all that dark matter is.

Answer 7

would we let the geeks build them if there was a concern they could create an out of control black hole for example?

we are tiny on the scale of the earth let alone the solar system

Answer 8

if the accident were big enough, like someone dropped the biggest thermo-nuclear bomb ever made, and nobody had a fire extinguisher handy

Answer 9

Well, theoretically, yes. We just have to hope those clever chaps at CERN know what they're doing.

Answer 10

Look on the bright side, eh....